The United Party (UP) has called on the government to urgently revive and implement the 1963 master plans for Accra, Tema, Kumasi and Sekondi-Takoradi, describing the persistent flooding across the country as a clear sign of decades of poor urban planning and the absence of a lasting solution.
The party said the annual floods, particularly in Accra, continued to claim lives, destroy homes and businesses, and leave thousands of residents counting heavy losses whenever torrential rains set in.
In a media release signed by its Director of Communication and Spokesperson, Mr Solomon Owusu, the party noted that flooding had remained one of Ghana’s most pressing urban challenges for more than six decades.
It pointed out that newspaper reports dating back to 1963 showed that Accra was already grappling with serious flooding at the time, yet successive governments had failed to implement measures capable of resolving the problem permanently.
The UP observed that although both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) had over the years invested significantly in desilting the Odaw drain, the exercise had not yielded the desired results.
It also recalled that earlier promises to transform the Odaw enclave into a modern commercial and tourism hub had not materialised.
The party, however, acknowledged that Ghana was not alone in facing flooding challenges, noting that several developed and developing countries had recently experienced similar disasters as a result of extreme weather conditions linked to climate change.
It cited flooding incidents in Belgium, parts of the United States, and countries in Southeast Asia as examples of how intense rainfall could overwhelm even advanced drainage systems.
According to the UP, climate change could not be blamed entirely for Ghana’s situation, insisting that poor engineering, weak planning systems, and uncontrolled physical development had significantly worsened the problem.
The party argued that countries such as the Netherlands and Singapore had been able to manage flooding effectively through sound engineering practices, efficient drainage systems, and strict adherence to planning regulations, despite their geographical constraints.
The UP therefore urged the government to revisit the master plans prepared for Accra by British architects Professor Maxwell Fry and Jane Drew, as well as earlier planning frameworks developed during the colonial era.
It indicated that the plans, which also covered Tema, Kumasi and Sekondi-Takoradi, were abandoned following the 1966 coup and had never been fully implemented.
The party further explained that while the Accra master plan was originally designed for a population of about 400,000 people, the capital now hosts more than 2.5 million residents, making it necessary to review and update the document to reflect current realities.
It maintained that implementing revised master plans would offer a long-term solution to flooding while promoting orderly urban development.
The UP also called for a nationwide behavioural and mindset change campaign to promote discipline, respect for planning regulations, proper waste disposal, and a renewed sense of patriotism.
In addition, it urged the government to strictly enforce sanitation and planning laws to prevent encroachment on waterways and activities that obstruct drainage systems.
The party further appealed to public office holders to demonstrate humility in leadership and place national interest above partisan considerations.
The UP expressed sympathy to families affected by the recent floods and urged the government to take urgent steps to safeguard lives and property against future occurrences.
BY ENOCH NTIAMOAH SIAW
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